Monthly Archives: May 2015

Last week, the Bread Man and I went for a date day lunch at Eggs Over Baxter deep in the Highlands on Bardstown Road. We had never been there before, although we had tried to eat at Eggs Over Frankfort once but the wait was too long for Little Man to wait.

Their menu is a breakfast/lunch menu that has several options regardless of what you’re in the mood for: they have sandwiches, pancakes, french toast, omelettes, and platters that will certainly fill you up. There are decadent options and healthier choices, as well. The Bread Man got the “Everything” platter, which really did come with everything; he had french toast, scrambled eggs, breakfast potatoes, and bacon. It was a lot of food, but somehow he managed to finish it off.

I was in the mood for lunch, so I got a portabella sandwich with mushroom, arugula, pesto, and goat cheese. It comes on a brioche bun, but I swapped that for whole wheat bread. You have the option to get chips or potatoes, but I just wanted more pickles! I was one spear shy of a whole pickle. I also got two eggs over medium for some protein–they were perfectly cooked! The sandwich was really yummy dipped in the yolk.

We both really liked our food a lot. The prices were comparable to other brunch options in the city, and we felt like we got a decent amount of food for the cost. I loved the goat cheese/mushroom combo–it was filling without being too heavy, and the arugula gave the sandwich a fresh taste. The Bread Man liked his breakfast, as well; the french toast was his favorite part, of course. He wasn’t a huge fan of the potatoes; they were a little bland. They were cooked really nicely, but lacked seasoning.

The restaurant was not busy at all when we went, but it was a 11:30 on a Tuesday. Weekends are much busier! Our server was really helpful and answered all my questions about the menu. I always feel bad for our servers because I make so many changes to my order from what is listed in the menu. But then I don’t feel that bad because making those changes has helped me get back down to my pre-pregnancy weight! Woo hoo! I would definitely recommend Eggs Over Baxter, but I also recommend that you try it out on a weekday rather than a weekend to beat the crowds.

Stay tuned for a post about how to navigate eating out when you’re trying to eat clean!

Almost a month and a half ago, I posted about how much stress I was feeling and how I needed to just get through April and then it would be okay. I gave an update a few weeks ago, but now that April is (finally) over, I wanted to share how the month went for me.

Overall, I think I handled all of my stress really well. I’ve been very consistent with my healthy eating and workouts, which has helped my energy levels and my mood. It’s amazing how much better I feel! I drank the Shakeology koolaid and started drinking it, and it really has made so much of a difference for me. I have more energy, I am struggling with depression less, I am more mentally focused and feel sharper, and I’ve seen quicker results in my pounds lost and inches lost since starting it. The price was a hurdle for me to even try it, but I’m so glad that I did–it has much such a difference for me. With the nicer weather, I’m also running outside and have worked up to almost 3 miles again, so I’m getting extra cardio, extra vitamin D, and extra time to clear my head. I feel really good, and, more importantly, I have a lot more confidence.

I have been less consistent with my quiet times, but it has still been a regular part of my routine. I struggle with the weekends. I don’t know why it’s so hard for me to do my quiet time on the weekends, but I have struggled with that since high school. I use the SheReadsTruth app for both my Bible and my devotionals. There are some great studies that have challenged and encouraged me. Right now I’m in one for 1 and 2 Peter that is awesome!

I’m completely finished with my National Boards work, and my students are done with their major test that I was preparing them for all year. That is a HUGE burden off of my shoulders.

I’m still using my calendar to keep myself organized to keep up that habit so that it’s second nature when life gets busy again. For now, though, I’m counting down to summer and enjoying the sunshine after such a long, hard winter.

I posted a few months ago about my weight loss journey, and it’s time for an update. I have come so far since I started this in January, and I’m really excited about my progress.

After seeing some results from my first round of 21 Day Fix in January, I hit a major plateau. Basically from February to late April, I was only losing 1/4 to 1/2 a pound a week. It was infuriating. I was working out, following the eating plan 90% of the time, and really focusing on my health and fitness. It was demoralizing and so frustrating. I was literally yelling at my TV during my workouts when Autumn (the trainer and creator of 21 Day Fix) would say something like, “Stick with me and you’ll get to your goals!” You know that scene in Legally Blonde where Elle yells “Liar!” and throws her chocolates at the TV? That was basically me. All of the frustration and feelings of failure that I dealt with last summer, not losing any weight at all, were coming back.

I was getting desperate, so I made three major changes with my routine. First, I went back to working out in the morning. For whatever reason, I was seeing results working out at 5:30 am instead of 3:30 pm, so now I’m an early bird. I never, EVER thought I would be the kind of person who wakes up early to work out like I watched my dad do since I can remember. I sometimes still can’t believe it, but I honestly enjoy it and have gotten used to it.

The second major change was texting my food diary to a friend. She has lost an incredible amount of weight doing the same plan as me, and I knew she would have some insight into my eating choices. She was able to point out some choices that, while not unhealthy, were probably sabotaging my goals. Bye bye, Larabars in the afternoon. So long, almond milk in my protein shakes. It was nice while it lasted.

The last major change I made was…really hard for me to do. I ordered Shakeology. I know, I know. It’s so expensive. It seems too good to be true. It’s so annoying to see all the Beachbody people on Facebook talk about it. When I originally ordered my 21 Day Fix, I deliberately did not get the Shakeology because of the cost. I was skeptical. However, when I was following the plan and not seeing results, I decided to try it. I figured that I would either break my plateau (yay!), or I would still not lose weight and know that I did EVERYTHING I could to get healthy. Once I tried it, I knew there was no going back. It was so good! I got the chocolate flavor, and it is sweet, filling, and really does taste like a treat. I add in a banana and two teaspoons of natural peanut butter and blend it all with water, 4 oz of unsweetened almond milk, and 12ish oz of water.

When I liked the Shakeology so much, I was really embarrassed about it. i don’t really know why. Honestly, my cynical self had mocked so many people on social media for their constant praise of it, and here I was agreeing with them. It made me feel guilty. But, you know what? It helped me. I lost more weight. I feel better. I’m not struggling with my energy as much. I’m not dragging through my day as much. I’m not emotionally and mentally exhausted when I get home to my family. I have more patience with my busy, BUSY toddler. I have more patience with my students at work. I am more positive. I am more focused and able to be more productive. I come home ready to play with my child, instead of collapsing on the couch. How amazing is that?!?

The biggest result of these changes is how I feel about myself. I watched my friend work so hard to lose weight and get healthy, and I was in awe of her. I was so inspired to try and do what she was doing, but I never really thought it would work for me. Success stories like that were for other people, not me. I was a failure. I wasn’t active during pregnancy like I had imagined, I gained more weight than I ever planned on, and I wasn’t doing enough to lose it in the time frame I had put upon myself. Now that I’ve done the program and tried Shakeology, I feel a lot more confident about myself. I no longer feel that success with health and fitness is for other people, but it can be for me, too. I have realized that my health/fitness is a journey, not a destination. I can give myself more grace now because I appreciate the ebbs and flows of fitness. I feel strong, confident, and healthy. I couldn’t say that 6 months ago.

I’m not done with my journey yet, but I am fired up to continue the progress I’ve had so far for myself and for other people, too. I signed up to be a BeachBody Coach (shameless plug alert!) because I want others to feel strong, confident, and healthy, as well. This isn’t something that is for other people: it’s for you, too. I want to help YOU reach your goals, find your confidence, and give yourself the success that you don’t think you deserve. You deserve it!

Do you want to be stronger and more confident in your own skin? Leave a comment below and we’ll take the journey together!

My Mother’s Day was great! We had dinner with my mom and my mother-in-law before Sunday, so I was able to spend Sunday with my little family unit relaxing. The Bread Man had a sweet card and a cute gift “from” Liam. It was so sweet!

We went to church and then to the mall where I had a really good Panera lunch. They have a new Mediterranean Chicken Salad with kale and quinoa–it is really light and pretty healthy! It’s my new go-to Panera meal.

We really went to the mall because I needed new pants–in a smaller size! I’m actually in the size smaller than what I was wearing when I got pregnant, which is really exciting. I’m still in my pre-pregnancy skinny jeans, so now I’m working toward needing the smaller size in those!

Our afternoon at home was so relaxing: just Breaking Bad, meal prepping for the week’s lunches, and playing with Little Man. It was the recharging that I needed! I did a comparison picture of Mother’s Day last year and this year and realized that although Little Man and I look very different, I’m wearing almost the same outfit. Some things never change!

The Bread Man and I went out for a date night last week, and I knew pretty quickly where I wanted to go. We had gone to Strati in the Highlands on Bardstown Road with some friends once before, but it was so good I ate it all before I could take any pictures for the blog! Oops.

Strati is an Italian restaurant with a made-to-order counter where you can create your own pasta dish with all of their options. They have regular pasta and spaghetti squash, which is amazing since I limit my carbs. They have spicy marinara, regular marinara, and a creamy Alfredo sauce. You can top your pasta with chicken or sausage, and they have lots of fresh herbs and veggies to add in. Whether you want something rich and decadent or you’re watching what you eat, everyone can find something at Strati. It is fast, fresh, and really tasty.

I ordered spaghetti squash with sausage and the spicy marinara, and topped it with onions, chopped tomatoes, artichoke, mushrooms, and basil. The small serving is plenty of food!

The atmosphere and casual and kid-friendly, too, which makes it great for a weekend lunch or a quick weeknight dinner. Being in the Highlands, there are also lots of great dessert options in walking distance if it tickles your fancy.